Support Device Adjustable by Means of an Electric Motor

ABSTRACT

A support device ( 2 ) adjustable by means of an electric motor for supporting cushioning of a piece of furniture for sitting and/or lying on, in particular a mattress of a bed, comprises a base part ( 4 ) and a support part ( 6 ). At least one of the parts ( 4, 6 ) has at least one lifting guide element ( 34 ) which is located thereon and acts in a wedge-like manner, and which is shaped in such a way and is or can be brought into operative connection with the adjusting element ( 32 ) such that, in the event of a relative movement between the adjusting element ( 32 ) and the lifting guide element ( 34 ) along the linear axis, the support part ( 6 ) is pivoted about the support part pivot axis ( 8 ) with respect to the base part ( 4 ).

The invention relates to a support device adjustable by means of anelectric motor of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 forsupporting cushioning of a piece of furniture for sitting and/or lyingon, in particular a mattress of a bed.

So-called double drives are known for adjusting slatted frames, forexample, said double drives having a housing designed as a separatecomponent which is connectable to the slatted frame and in which twoadjusting units are housed, one of which is used, for example, to adjusta back support part and the other to adjust a leg support part of theslatted frame. In the known double drives, the adjusting units aredesigned as spindle drives, with the drive being coupled to a supportpart to be adjusted via a link lever which is non-rotatably connected toa pivot shaft assigned to the support part to be adjusted. To adjust thesupport part, the spindle nut of the spindle drive presses against thelink lever so that the pivot shaft and thus the support part pivots.Such double drives are known, for example, from EP 0 372 032 A1 and DE38 42 078 A1.

DE 100 17 979 C2 discloses a furniture drive designed as a double drive,in which each adjusting unit has an electric motor-output winding devicefor a traction device in the form of a cable, belt or chain, which isconnected in the manner of a pulley block to a pivot lever which isnon-rotatably connected to a pivot shaft, which in turn is operativelyconnected to a support part to be adjusted. Furniture drives operatingaccording to a similar operating principle are also known from DE 34 09223 C2, DE 198 43 259 CI and EP 1 020 171 A1.

Double drives working according to different operating principles arealso known from DE 298 11 566 U1 and DE 297 14746 U1.

An adjustable slatted frame is known from DE 39 00 384 A1, in which theadjustment of a head or leg support part of the slatted frame takesplace by means of a pneumatic cylinder.

DE 296 02 947 U1 discloses a gas spring adjustment fitting for slattedframes, wherein a cable is provided for actuating the gas spring.

DE 31 03 922 A1 discloses a slatted frame in which the adjustment of apart of the upper body support, for example, takes place via awindshield wiper motor and lifting scissors.

EP 1 294 255 B1 discloses a double drive, in which the transmission ofpower from a linearly movable drive element to a pivoted lever, which isoperatively connected to a pivot shaft which is operatively connected toa support part to be adjusted, takes place via a pulley block. Similarfurniture drives are also disclosed in FR 2 727 296 A, DE 34 09 223 C2,DE 198 43 259 C1, GB 2 334 435 A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,948 A.

In addition, slatted frames are known in which the adjustment device foradjusting a support part is partially or completely integrated into abase body of the slatted frame. To this effect, DE 199 62 541 C2 showsand describes a motor-adjustable support device which has a firstsupport part which has parallel longitudinal beams and which, in thesupport device known from the publication, is formed by a stationarycentral support part. The known support device also has further supportparts which can be adjusted with respect to the first support part bydrive means. In the support device known from the publication, a firstlongitudinal beam of the first support part is designed as a hollowprofile to house the drive means, with the entire drive including adrive motor being housed in the hollow longitudinal beam. As a result,the drive motor does not project beyond the first longitudinal beam inthe vertical direction, so that the support device known from thepublication has an extremely low overall height. A similar supportdevice is also known from DE 100 46 751 A1. WO 96/29970 discloses amotor-adjustable support device for a mattress of a bed, which hasseveral successive support parts in the longitudinal direction of thesupport device, which can be pivoted with respect to a first supportpart by drive means. The support parts are mounted on an outer framewhose profile height is significantly greater than the profile height ofthe support parts. In the support device known from the publication,parts of the outer frame are designed as a hollow profile, with parts ofthe drive means for adjusting the support parts with respect to oneanother being housed in the hollow profile. The drive motor is arrangedon an inside of a part of the outer frame.

EP 0 788 325 B1 discloses a motor-adjustable support device for amattress of a bed, which has a first support part having a longitudinalbeam and at least one second support part which can be pivoted withrespect to the first support part by drive means. In the case of theknown support device, the drive motor is arranged outside the base areaof the support device and is fixed at a frame-like extension of thefirst support part.

EP 1 633 219 B1 discloses a slatted frame in which parts of theadjusting device are housed in a hollow longitudinal beam, while thedrive motor is arranged outside the longitudinal beam and is in driveconnection with the parts of the adjusting device housed in thelongitudinal beam through a recess.

WO 2008/113401 discloses a furniture drive provided for adjusting adrawer with respect to a body of a cupboard, in which the drawer isadjusted via a flexible toothed rack which engages with a gear wheel.

EP 2 792 277 B2 discloses an electromotive furniture drive with thefeatures of the preamble of claim 1. The furniture drive known from thepublication has a housing in which a linearly movable output member isarranged, which is in drive connection with an electric motor and which,in the operating state of the furniture drive, is operatively connectedto the traction cable of the Bowden cable in order to exert a tensileforce on the traction cable, wherein the housing has a first attachmentpoint for fixing the casing of the Bowden cable.

The furniture drive known from the publication is based on the idea toeffect the power transmission from an electromotive drive unit, which isused, for example, to adjust the support parts of a slatted frame withrespect to one another, to the support part to be adjusted via a Bowdencable with a traction cable and a casing. The furniture drive known fromthe publication thus breaks with the concepts of power transmissionpreviously known, for example, from slatted frames, and provides forfurniture drives what is known from other technical areas, for example,from brakes and gear shifts on bicycles, gas and clutch trains onmotorcycles and from the principle of a Bowden cable known from theautomotive technology. This construction results in significanttechnical advantages in that the degrees of freedom in terms of thearrangement of the furniture drive with respect to the support parts tobe adjusted are significantly increased, a corresponding furniture drivecan be implemented in a compact manner and with a low overall height,and is also simple in construction and robust.

EP 3 009 052 A1 discloses a support device which can be adjusted bymeans of an electric motor and has the features of the preamble of claim1. The support device known from the publication has a base part, asupport part which is connected to the base part and can pivot about asupport part pivot axis, and an electromotive drive device which isoperatively connected to the base part and the support part for pivotingthe support part with respect to the base part, with the base part andthe support part being designed in such a way and are operativelyconnected to the drive device in such a way that the support part can beadjusted between a non-adjusted starting position, in which the supportpart lies flat on the base part, and an end position of the adjustmentmovement, in which the support part is arranged at an angle to the basepart.

It is the object of the invention to specify a support device which isadjustable by an electro motor of the type mentioned in the preamble ofclaim 1, which is further improved compared to the known support device.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1.

The invention provides that the drive device has at least one drivetrain, through which the drive device is in drive connection with anadjusting element which is movable translationally along a linear axisin such a way that the adjusting element is movable between a startingposition, which corresponds to the non-adjusted starting position of thesupport part, and an end position, which corresponds to the end positionof the adjustment movement, by means of the drive device, and on atleast one of the parts at least one lifting guide element acting in awedge-like manner is arranged which is shaped in such a way and is orcan be operatively connected to the adjusting element that, when thereis a relative movement between the adjusting element and the liftingguide element along the linear axis, the support part is pivoted aboutthe support part pivot axis with respect to the base part.

The invention provides a support device, which is adjustable by anelectric motor, which has a simple and robust design and is suitable forapplying large adjusting forces.

Advantageous and expedient developments of the invention are specifiedin the dependent claims.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis ofexemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying schematicdrawing. All the features described, shown in the drawing and claimed inthe claims, taken in isolation and in any technically meaningfulcombination with one another, form the subject matter of the invention,regardless of their pooling in the claims and their back-references andregardless of their specific description or representation in thedrawing. The subject and disclosure content of the present applicationalso include sub-combinations of the claims in which at least onefeature of the respective claim is omitted or replaced by anotherfeature. The subject and disclosure content of the application alsoincludes combinations of the individual exemplary embodiments, in whichat least one feature of one exemplary embodiment is transferred toanother exemplary embodiment. It is obvious to the person skilled in theart that the features disclosed in the individual exemplary embodimentsfurther improve the respective exemplary embodiment taken in isolation,i. e. independently of the other features of the exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 1.1 to 1.9 show different perspective views of a first exemplaryembodiment of a support device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of asupport device according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of asupport device according to the invention,

FIGS. 4.1 to 4.5 show different perspective views of a fourth exemplaryembodiment of a support device according to the invention,

FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2 show two perspective views of a fifth exemplaryembodiment of a support device according to the invention,

FIGS. 6.1 to 6.5 show different perspective views of a sixth exemplaryembodiment of a support device according to the invention,

FIGS. 7.1 to 7.4 show different perspective views of a seventh exemplaryembodiment of a support device according to the invention,

FIGS. 8.1 to 8.5 show different perspective views of an eighth exemplaryembodiment of a support device according to the invention,

FIGS. 9.1 to 9.8 show different perspective and schematic views of asixth exemplary embodiment of a support device according to theinvention, and

FIGS. 10.1 to 10.7 show various perspective and schematic views of asixth exemplary embodiment of a support device according to theinvention.

In the figures of the drawing, identical or corresponding components areprovided with the same reference numerals.

For the sake of illustration and to simplify the explanation, individualcomponents are omitted from individual figures of the drawing. Theomitted components are to be supplemented conceptually in the relevantfigures.

A first exemplary embodiment of a support device according to theinvention is explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1.1to 1.9 . FIGS. 1.1 to 1.9 show a first exemplary embodiment of a supportdevice 2 which is adjustable by means of an electric motor according tothe invention for supporting cushioning of a piece of furniture forsitting and/or lying on, in particular a mattress of a bed. To simplifythe illustration, the cushioning is not shown in the drawing. The mannerin which a corresponding cushioning is supported by means of a supportdevice is generally known to the person skilled in the art and istherefore not explained in more detail herein.

FIG. 1.1 shows support device 2 in a non-adjusted starting position ofthe adjustment movement, while FIG. 1.2 shows support device 2 in an endposition of the adjustment movement.

Support device 2 has a base part 4 and a support part 6 which isconnected to base part 4 and can pivot about a support part pivot axis 8(cf. FIG. 1.4 ). Support device 2 is particularly suitable forretrofitting a support device which is not adjustable by means of anelectric motor ex works, for example a slatted frame of a bed, with thefunctionality of an electric motor adjustment. Support device 2according to the invention is also particularly suitable for temporarilyequipping or permanently retrofitting a care or hotel bed in order togive it the functionality of an electric motor adjustment. The basicstructure and possible uses of a corresponding support device are knownfrom EP 3 009 052 A2, to which reference is made at this point and thecontent of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Support device 2 also has an electromotive drive device 10 which isoperatively connected to base part 4 and support part 6 for pivotingadjustment of support part 6 with respect to base part 4. Base part 4and support part 6 are designed in such a way and are operativelyconnected to drive device 10 in such a way that support part 6 isadjustable between a non-adjusted starting position (cf. FIG. 1.1 ) inwhich support part 6 rests flat on base part 4, and an end position ofthe adjustment movement, in which the support part is arranged at anangle to base part 4 (see. FIG. 1.2 ).

Support part 6 carries spring elements on its upper side, on whichcushioning, for example a mattress of a bed, is supported when supportdevice 2 is used. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the spring elementsare formed by spring elements made of plastic, of which only one springelement is provided with reference numeral 12 as an example in FIGS. 1.1and 1.2 .

In FIG. 1.3 , which corresponds to FIG. 1.1 and shows support device 2in the non-adjusted starting position, and in FIG. 1.4 , whichcorresponds to FIG. 1.2 and shows support device 2 in the end positionof the adjustment movement, the spring elements 12 are omitted forfurther explanation of the structure of base part 4 and support part 6.

It can be seen in particular from FIG. 1.4 that support part 6 haslongitudinal beams 14, 16, while base part 4 has longitudinal beams 18,20 which are connected to one another via a transverse beam 22.

According to the invention, drive device 10 has at least one drivetrain, through which drive device 10 is in drive connection with anadjusting element which is translationally movable along a linear axissuch that the adjusting element is movable by means of the drive devicebetween a starting position which corresponds to the non-adjustedstarting position of the support part, and an end position whichcorresponds to the end position of the adjustment movement. In theexemplary embodiment shown, there are two drive trains, namely a drivetrain 24 assigned to the longitudinal beams 14, 18 and a drive train 26assigned to the longitudinal beams 16, 20. Only drive train 26 isexplained in more detail below. Drive train 24 is constructedaccordingly.

Drive train 26 has an output member 28 that is translationally movablealong a linear axis, which, in this exemplary embodiment, is formed by aslide which is guided in a linear guide 30 which is defined bylongitudinal beam 20 which is formed by a U-profile. In the U-profile,the slide is translationally movable in the longitudinal direction oflongitudinal beam 20 along a linear axis which runs in the longitudinaldirection of longitudinal beam 20.

In this exemplary embodiment, the electromotive drive device 10 isformed by a furniture drive using a Bowden cable having a traction cableand a casing. A corresponding furniture drive is known from EP 2 792 277B2, the content of which is hereby fully incorporated into the presentapplication by reference. To simplify the illustration, the Bowden cableis not shown in FIG. 1.1 to FIG. 1.9 .

The output member 28 is connected to a movable part of the Bowden cable,so that it moves translationally along the linear axis when thefurniture drive is actuated.

The moving part of the Bowden cable can be the traction cable of theBowden cable, while the casing is stationary. In kinematic reversal,however, the movable part of the Bowden cable can also be the casing,while the traction cable is stationary, as is known from EP 3 157 389A1. In order to adjust support part 6 with respect to base part 4, anadjusting element 32 is provided, which, in this exemplary embodiment,is integrally formed on output member 28. Depending on the structuraldesign of support device 2, adjusting element 32 can also be designed asa separate component connected to the drive element in a non-shiftablemanner, or it can be operatively connected to the output member 28 insome other suitable manner.

According to the invention, at least one lifting guide element 34 actingin a wedge-like manner is arranged on one of the parts (base part 4,support part 6), which is shaped in such a way and is or can beoperatively connected to adjusting element 32 such that during arelative movement between adjusting element 32 and lifting guide element34 along the linear axis, support part 6 is pivoted about support partpivot axis 8 with respect to base part 4.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, lifting guide element 34 acting in awedge-like manner is arranged on the support part, specifically in thearea of support part pivot axis 8 (cf. in particular FIGS. 1.5 ).

Thus, according to the arrangement on output member 28 guided in linearguide 30, adjusting element 32 is arranged on base part 4 in theexemplary embodiment shown.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the adjusting element 32 is designedlike a nose and projects beyond base part 4 in the direction of supportpart 6, as can be seen in particular from FIG. 1.9 with respect toadjusting element 32′ of drive train 24.

In the starting position of the adjustment movement, adjusting element32 is housed in a recess formed on support part 6, the inner wall ofwhich forms a contact surface for adjusting element 32, the crosssection of which tapers in the direction of support part pivot axis 8 insuch a way that, in a translational movement of the adjusting element32, support part 6 is pivotable or pivoted about support part pivot axis8 in the direction of support part pivot axis 8.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, lifting guide element 34 is formed bya molded part which is connected to longitudinal beam 20 of support part6 and whose side facing base part 4 forms the recess and contact surfacefor adjusting element 32, as can be seen in particular from FIG. 1.8 .

In order to adjust support part 6 with respect to base part 4, theadjusting element is moved translationally with respect to lifting guideelement 34 while it rests against it, lifting guide element 34 beingdesigned or shaped in such a way and is operatively connected toadjusting element 32 in such a way that, in a translational relativemovement between adjusting element 32 and lifting guide element 34,support part 6 is pivoted about support part pivot axis 8 with respectto base part 4.

In the non-adjusted starting position of the adjustment movement shownin FIGS. 1.1 and 1.3 , support part 6 rests flat on base part 4, withnose-like adjusting element 32 being housed in the recess defined bylifting guide element 34 and projecting from the upper side of supportpart 6.

Starting from this starting position, the furniture drive (electromotivedrive device 10) is actuated in such a way that adjusting element 32moves along linear guide 30 translationally to the right in the drawing.During this relative movement, adjusting element 32 rests against theunderside of lifting guide element 34, so that, due to the shape oflifting guide element 34, support part 6 is pivoted with respect to basepart 4 about support part pivot axis 8 until the end position of theadjustment movement shown in FIG. 1.2 and FIG. 1.4 is reached, in whichsupport part 6 is arranged at an angle with respect to base part 4 andis adjusted to the maximum.

FIG. 1.5 shows support device 2 in the same representation as FIG. 1.4and illustrates the interaction of adjusting element 32 with liftingguide element 34.

FIG. 1.6 shows a detail from FIG. 1.5 in the area of adjusting element32 and lifting guide element 34 on an enlarged scale compared to FIG.1.5 .

FIG. 1.7 shows lifting guide element 34 interacting with adjustingelement 32, with the remaining components of support part 6 beingomitted.

In FIG. 1.8 , longitudinal beam 20 has also been omitted.

Support part 6 is returned to the starting position with respect to basepart 4 when the drive device is switched on, but under the weight of thecushioning resting on support part 6 and possibly under the additionalweight of a person resting on the cushioning.

Support device 2 according to the invention is simple and robust inconstruction and suitable for applying large adjustment forces, whichare required, for example, when support part 6 is adjusted under theload of a person resting on the cushioning supported by support device2.

The actuation of the Bowden cables assigned to drive trains 24, 26 canin principle take place by separate furniture drives which aresynchronized in terms of control technology. However, in order tosimplify the construction, the actuation preferably takes place by acommon furniture drive which actuates both Bowden cables synchronously,as is known, for example, from EP 2 792 277 B1. In this way, the use ofsupport part 6 during the adjustment is reliably avoided.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the drive is provided via 2 drivetrains assigned to longitudinal beams 14, 18 and 16, 20, respectively.While retaining the basic principle according to the invention, a singledrive train can also be used, which is arranged in the longitudinalcenter plane of support part 6 or base part 4.

According to the invention, a wedge-like effect is understood to meanthat the relevant component performs the function of a wedge or aninclined plane, regardless of its shape and design.

FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a support device 2according to the invention. While in the embodiment according to FIG.1.1 to FIG. 1.9 the housing of the Bowden cable forms the moving partwhich is moved by the furniture drive, in the embodiment according toFIG. 2 the traction cable of the Bowden cable is the moving part. As canbe seen from FIG. 2 , the Bowden cable provided with reference numeral36 is guided out of support device 2 to the furniture drive (not shown)forming electromotive drive device 10 in the area of support part pivotaxis 8.

FIG. 3 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a support device 2according to the invention, which differs from the exemplary embodimentaccording to FIG. 2 in that the spring elements are formed by springwoodslats, one of which being provided with reference numeral 38 in FIG. 3 ,for example.

FIGS. 4.1 to 4.5 show a fourth exemplary embodiment of a support deviceaccording to the invention, which differs from the previous exemplaryembodiments in that, instead of two drive trains that are spaced apartfrom one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of supportdevice 2, a single drive train 26 is provided, which is effectivebetween a single longitudinal beam 20 of base part 4 and a singlelongitudinal beam 16 of support part 6.

Furthermore, the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 4.1 to 4.5differs from the previous exemplary embodiments in that a leverarrangement 40 is arranged in the drive train between base part 4 andsupport part 6. The use of a lever arrangement and the correspondingfurther developments in combination with the features of the preamble ofclaim 1, but independently of the features of the characterizing part ofclaim 1, have an independent inventive meaning.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, lever arrangement 40 has a stand-uplever arrangement 42 which functions as an adjusting element within themeaning of the invention and has at least one stand-up lever.

FIGS. 4.1 to 4.3 show support device 2 in the end position of theadjustment movement, with various components being omitted in FIGS. 4.2and 4.3 for reasons of clarity.

FIGS. 4.4 and 4.5 show the support device in the non-adjusted startingposition of the adjustment movement, with various components also beingomitted in FIGS. 4.4 and 4.5 for reasons of clarity.

In detail, stand-up lever arrangement 42 (cf. in particular FIG. 4.5 )has a first stand-up lever 44 whose one end is arranged at an angle andconnected about a first articulation axis 46 to output member 28 andwhose other end is arranged at an angle and connected about a secondarticulation axis 48 to one end of a second stand-up lever 50 whose freeend is operatively connected to a lifting guide element 52 acting in awedge-like manner.

The operative connection between second stand-up lever 50 and liftingguide element 52 is configured in such a way that, starting from thenon-adjusted starting position of the adjustment movement (cf. FIG. 4.4), in a first kinematic phase, stand-up levers 44, 50 when not standingup, perform a translational movement, wherein stand-up levers 44, 50 areguided in linear guide 30 and the free end of second stand-up lever 50interacts with lifting guide element 52 for pivoting support part 6 withrespect to base part 4, and that in a second kinematic phase the freeend of second stand-up lever 50 runs against a stop, so that stand-uplevers 44, 50 stand up pivoting with respect to one another about secondarticulation axis 48, with support part 6 pivoting further about supportpart pivot axis 8 with respect to base part 4 until the end position ofthe adjustment movement is reached.

In particular from FIG. 4.5 it can be seen that lifting guide element 52has a cross section that expands at least in sections along the linearaxis of the adjustment element.

In this case, lifting guide element 52 is shaped in such a way that itscross section expands along the linear axis in such a way that theadjusting element in the area of the starting position of the adjustmentmovement rests against a section of smaller or minimal cross section oflifting guide element 52 and in the area of the end position of theadjustment movement against a section of larger or maximum cross sectionof lifting guide element 52. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 4.5, lifting guide element 52 is wedge-shaped in the exemplary embodimentshown, with its cross section extending in the direction of support partpivot axis 8, i.e. in the direction in which stand-up lever arrangement42, which acts as an adjustment element, moves upon adjusting from thestarting position to the end position.

Depending on the respective structural circumstances and requirements,lifting guide element 52 can also be shaped in such a way that its crosssection expands in the form of an arc or a ramp at least in sections.Any combination of arc-shaped and straight cross-sectional sections isalso possible. The kinematics of the adjustment movement is defined bythe cross-sectional shape of lifting guide element 52. This also appliesto the other exemplary embodiments of the invention explained above andexplained in more detail below.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment from FIGS. 1.1 to FIG. 1.9 ,stand-up lever arrangement 42 acting as an adjusting element is guidedin a linear guide 30 formed by the U-profile of longitudinal beam 18.

Starting from the starting position of the adjustment movement shown inFIG. 4 , the furniture drive (electromotive drive device) assigned tothe adjusting element is actuated in such a way that stand-up leverarrangement 42 when not standing up in the linear guide 30 moves to theright in the drawing.

Here, the free end of second stand-up lever 2 runs below lifting guideelement 52 so that the lifting guide element is pivoted clockwise aboutsupport part pivot axis 8 in the drawing. As a result, support part 6 ispivoted in the desired manner with respect to base part 4. Because atthe beginning of the adjustment movement, the free end of secondstand-up lever 50 runs below lifting guide element 52, the dead centerduring the adjustment of support part 6 is overcome.

At the end of the first kinematic phase, the free end of second openinglever 50 runs against the end of linear guide 30 that acts as a stop, sothat stand-up levers 44, 50 stand up with respect to one anotherpivoting about second articulation axis 2, as a result of which supportpart 6 moves further about support part pivot axis 8 until the endposition of the adjustment movement shown in FIG. 4.1 is reached.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 4.5 , a roller arrangement 54 canbe provided at the free end of second stand-up lever 50 in order toreduce the friction of setting lever arrangement 42 in linear guide 30.

FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2 show a modification of the previous embodiment, whichdiffers therefrom in that stand-up levers 44, 50 have a greater length.In this way, the pivoting stroke upon pivoting adjustment of supportpart 6 with respect to base part 4 is increased and the load of theelectromotive drive device is reduced. FIG. 5.1 shows support device 2in the end position of the adjustment movement, while FIG. 5.2 showssupport device 2 in the non-adjusted starting position of the adjustmentmovement.

FIGS. 6.1 to 6.5 show a further modification of the exemplary embodimentaccording to FIGS. 4.1 to 4.5 differing therefrom in that electromotivedrive device 10 is not based on the functional principle of a Bowdencable, but rather on the functional principle of a spindle drive.

Electromotive drive device 10 has an electric motor 56, which isdrive-connected to a rotatably mounted threaded spindle, rotates via aworm gear, on which a spindle nut 58 is arranged, secured againstrotation and movable in the axial direction. Respective spindle drivesare well known to those skilled in the field of furniture drives and aretherefore not explained in more detail herein.

Spindle nut 58 is connected to stand-up lever arrangement 42 by means oftabs 60, 62 which extend in the longitudinal direction of linear guide30 and which can be formed, for example, by sheet metal strips andbetween which the threaded spindle is housed.

Starting from the starting position of the adjustment movement shown inFIGS. 6.4 and 6.5 , electric motor 56 drives the threaded spindle insuch a way that spindle nut 58 moves to the right in the drawing. Thepivotal adjustment of support part 6 with respect to base part 4 takesplace in two successive kinematic phases, as has been explained for theexemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 4.1 to 4.5 .

Because the Bowden cable drive has been replaced by a spindle drive,drive train 26 has a high degree of rigidity.

It is apparent to the person skilled in the art that both in theexemplary embodiments described above and in the exemplary embodimentsexplained in more detail below, a Bowden cable drive can be exchangedfor a drive having a spindle drive.

FIGS. 7.1 to 7.4 show a further exemplary embodiment of a support device2 according to the invention using a lever arrangement. In the exemplaryembodiment shown, the lever arrangement has a single lever 66 pivotablymounted about a stationary lever pivot axis 64 on base part 4, the freeend of which carries a roller 68 (cf. FIG. 7.3 ) on which the undersideof support part 6 rests loosely.

A lifting guide 52 is attached on the underside of lever 66, whichinteracts with an adjusting element for adjusting support part 6 withrespect to base part 4, which, in this exemplary embodiment, is designedas a roller carriage 68 (cf. FIG. 7.4 ). On its side facing linear guide30, roller carriage 68 has rollers 70, 72, on which it runs in linearguide 30. On its side facing lifting guide element 52, roller carriage68 has a further roller 74, with which roller carriage 68 comes to restagainst lifting guide element 52 during the adjustment movement.

As can be seen from FIG. 7.4 , lifting guide element 52 has anelongated, wedge-like resting surface that expands in cross sectiontoward lever pivot axis 64.

Roller carriage 68 is in a tensile connection with a movable part of aBowden cable of a Bowden cable drive.

FIG. 7.1 shows support device 2 in the end position of the adjustmentmovement, while FIGS. 7.2 to 7.4 show the support device in the startingposition. Starting from this starting position, the Bowden cable driveis actuated in such a way that roller carriage 68 in linear guide 30 ispulled to the left in the drawing. In this case, roller carriage 68 runsbelow lifting guide element 52, so that lever 66 is pivotedcounterclockwise in FIG. 7.1 . As a result, support part 6 lying looselyon the free end of lever 66 is pivoted clockwise until the end positionof the adjustment movement shown in FIG. 7.1 is reached.

FIGS. 8.1 to 8.5 show a modification of the previous exemplaryembodiment, which differs therefrom in that, instead of a Bowden cabledrive, a spindle drive 57 is provided with a spindle nut 58 which isarranged on a threaded spindle 76.

FIG. 8.1 shows support device 2 in the end position of the adjustmentmovement, while FIGS. 8.2 to 8.5 show support device 2 in the startingposition of the adjustment movement. Various components of supportdevice 2 have been omitted in FIGS. 8.2 to 8.4 for reasons of clarity.FIG. 8.5 shows lifting guide element 52 used in the exemplary embodimenttaken in isolation. FIG. 8.4 shows in particular that lever 66 has twoparallel lever parts 78, 80 which are spaced apart from one another inthe radial direction of the threaded spindle 76 and between whichthreaded spindle 76 is guided during the adjustment movement.

FIGS. 9.1 to 9.8 show a further exemplary embodiment of a support device2 according to the invention, in which a lever arrangement 40 having alever mechanism 82 is arranged in the drive train between base part 4and support part 6.

Lever mechanism 82 has a first lever 84 which is mounted on base part 4such that it is pivotable about a stationary lever pivot axis 86 whichis parallel to support part pivot axis 8. With the end of first lever 84facing away from lever pivot axis 86, one end of a second lever 92 isarranged at an angle and connected about a first lever pivot axis 88parallel to lever pivot axis 86 at a first connection point 90. Theother end of second lever 92 is arranged at an angle and pivotable abouta second lever pivot axis 94 parallel to first lever pivot axis 88 at asecond connection point 96 to one end of a third lever 98, the other endof which is guided pivotably and shiftably in a slot guide 100 in theaxial direction of the linear axis. The end of third lever 98 connectedto second lever 92, at second connection point 96, is guided shiftablyin the longitudinal direction of support part 6 thereon and connected atan angle manner thereto.

Levers 84, 92, 98 are designed in such a way and connected to base part4 or support part 6 and the drive device and operatively connected, that

-   -   in a first kinematic phase, starting from a starting position of        the adjustment movement, first lever 84 is pivoted about the        stationary lever pivot axis 86, support part 6 resting against        second lever 92 being pivoted about support part pivot axis 8,        second lever 92 shifting in the longitudinal direction of        support part 4 away from support part pivot axis 8, and the        third lever shifting in slot guide 100 in the direction away        from support part pivot axis 8, until third lever 98 in slot        guide 100 runs against a stop formed by the end of slot guide        100 facing away from support part pivot axis (8), and    -   in a second kinematic phase, first lever is pivoted further        about stationary lever pivot axis 86, third lever 98 being        pivoted about the end of slot guide 100 facing away from support        part pivot axis 8, support part 6 lifting from first connection        point 90 between first lever 84 and second lever 92, and second        connection point 96 shifting between second lever 92 and third        lever 98 towards the end of the support part facing away from        the first pivot axis until the end position of the adjustment        movement is reached.

FIG. 9.5 makes it clear that lifting guide element 52 is attached to theside of first lever 84 facing linear guide 30 and interacts with rollercarriage 68 guided in linear guide 30. The pivoting of first lever 84about lever pivot axis 86 accordingly takes place in a mannercorresponding to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 8.1 to 8.5.

FIGS. 9.6 to 9.8 are schematic representations and show a kinematicmodel of the exemplary embodiment to illustrate the kinematic phases.

In the first kinematic phase shown in FIG. 9.6 , first lever 84 ispivoted counterclockwise about lever pivot axis 86. In this case, theend of third lever 98 facing away from support part 6 moves in slotguide 100 in the direction of lever pivot axis 86, with support part 6resting on third lever 98 at connection points 90, 96, and third lever98 shifting with respect to support part 6 in the direction of its freeend.

At the end of the first kinematic phase, third lever 98 comes to restagainst the end of slot guide 100 facing lever pivot axis 6, so that afurther translational movement in the direction of lever pivot axis 86is prevented and third lever 98 is also pivoted counterclockwise. Inthis case, support part 6 lifts off second lever 92 at first connectionpoint 90, with second connection point 96 shifting in the direction ofthe free end of support part 6, as shown in FIG. 9.7 .

FIG. 9.8 shows the end position of the adjustment movement.

FIG. 9.1 shows that the lever arrangement formed from levers 84, 92 and98 forms a parallelogram-like arrangement in the end position of theadjustment movement.

From FIG. 9.1 it can also be seen that first lever 84 and third lever 98have a relatively great length, while second lever 92 is designed as arelatively short connecting lever. The lengths of levers 84, 92 and 98are dimensioned such that the length of first lever 84 plus the lengthof second lever 92 corresponds to the length of the third lever plus thedistance between lever pivot axis 86 and the end of slotted guide 100facing away from lever pivot axis 86 along the linear axis.

Furthermore, it can be seen in particular from FIG. 9.1 and FIG. 9.2that third lever 98 consists of two parallel lever parts which arespaced apart from one another in the axial direction of lever pivot axis86 and between which, in the starting position of the adjustmentmovement, second lever 92 and the end of first lever 84 facing secondlever 92 are housed, as can be seen from FIG. 9.1 .

A further exemplary embodiment of a support device according to theinvention using a lever mechanism 102 is shown in FIGS. 10.1 to 10.7 .

FIG. 10.1 shows support device 2 in the end position of the adjustmentmovement, while FIGS. 10.2 and 10.3 show support device 2 in thestarting position of the adjustment movement.

FIGS. 10.4 to 10.7 are schematic views to clarify the kinematic phasesof the adjustment movement in this exemplary embodiment.

As in the previous exemplary embodiments, support device 2 has a basepart 4 and a support part 6 which is connected to base part 4 so that itcan pivot about a support part pivot axis 8. For pivoting support part 6with respect to base part 4, an electromotive drive device (furnituredrive) is provided, which is in drive connection with an adjustingelement which is translationally movable along a linear axis.

The lever mechanism 102 has a one-armed first lever 104 which is mountedpivotably about a stationary lever swivel axis 106 parallel to supportpart pivot axis 8 on base part 4. Lever mechanism 102 also has atwo-armed second lever 108, the free end of first lever 104 facing awayfrom lever pivot axis 106 being articulated about a first leverarticulation axis 110 to second lever 108 facing away from its ends. Oneend of second lever 108 is guided in a linear guide 112 so as to betranslationally movable with respect to lever pivot axis 106, while theother end of second lever 108 is articulated and shiftably in thelongitudinal direction connected to support part 6.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the adjusting element is formed by acarriage 114 which is drive-connected to the electromotive drive deviceand movable in linear guide 112 under the effect thereof.

The operative connection between lever mechanism 102, the electromotivedrive device and base part 4 and support part 6 is configured in such away that

-   -   in a first kinematic phase, starting from a starting position of        the adjustment movement, the end of second lever 108 guided in        linear guide 112 shifts in the direction of the lever pivot axis        106, with the other end of second lever 108 being located in the        area of the end of support part 6 facing away from the support        part pivot axis 8, whereby support part 6 is pivoted about        support part pivot axis 8, and    -   in a second kinematic phase, the end of second lever 108 facing        lever pivot axis 106 shifts further in the direction of lever        pivot axis 106, while the end of second lever 108 facing away        from lever pivot axis 106 shifts with respect to support part 6        in the direction of support part pivot axis 8, whereby support        part 6 is pivoted further with respect to base part 4 about        support part pivot axis 8 until the end position of the        adjustment movement is reached.

FIGS. 10.3 to 10.6 are schematic representations and show a kinematicmodel of the exemplary embodiment to illustrate the kinematic phases.

In the non-adjusted starting position of the adjustment movement,support part 6 rests flat on base part 4, with levers 104, 108 lyingflat in linear guide 112. In this position, the end of second lever 108facing support part 6 is arranged at a distance from the free end ofsupport part 6.

Starting from this position, carriage 114 is driven by the electromotivedrive device in such a way that it moves to the left in the drawing andin doing so presses against the end of the second lever guided in linearguide 112, so that this end in linear guide 112 is pressed to the leftin the drawing, whereby first lever 104 is pivoted counterclockwise inthe drawing about lever pivot axis 106, and second lever 108 is pivotedclockwise about the lever articulation axis 110 with respect to firstlever 104.

Here, the end of second lever 108 guided on support part 6 moves in thedirection of the free end of support part 6 until lever 108 runs againsta stop at this free end, as shown in FIG. 10.4 .

With a further movement of carriage 114 in linear guide 112 to the leftin the drawing, second lever 108 pivots further clockwise about leverarticulation axis 110, with support part 6 being pivoted furtherclockwise in the drawing, as shown in FIG. 10.5 .

With a further movement of carriage 114 in linear guide 112 to the leftin the drawing, support part 6 is pivoted further clockwise, with theend of second lever 108 guided on support part 6 beginning to move awayfrom the free end of support part 6 in the direction of support partpivot axis 8 until the end position of the adjustment movement shown inFIG. 10.6 is reached.

1. A support device adjustable by means of an electric motor, forsupporting cushioning of a piece of furniture for sitting and/or lyingon, in particular a mattress of a bed, comprising: a base part; asupport part which is connected to the base part and can be pivotedabout a support part pivot axis; an electromotive electromotive drivedevice which is operatively connected to the base part and the supportpart for pivoting adjustment of the support part with respect to thebase part, and the base part and the support part are designed in such away and are operatively connected to the drive device in such a way thatthe support part is adjustable between a non-adjusted starting positionin which the support part rests flat on the base part, and an endposition of the adjustment movement, in which the support part isarranged at an angle to the base part; and the drive device has at leastone drive train by which the drive device is in drive connection to anadjusting element that is movable translationally along a linear axis,in such a way that the adjusting element is movable between a startingposition, which corresponds to the non-adjusted starting position of thesupport part, and an end position, which corresponds to the end positionof the adjustment movement, by means of the drive device, and on atleast one of the parts at least one lifting guide element which isacting in a wedge-like manner is arranged which is shaped in such a wayand is or can be operatively connected to the adjusting element suchthat in a relative movement between the adjusting element and thelifting guide element along the linear axis, the support part is pivotedabout the support part pivot axis with respect to the base part.
 2. Thesupport device according to claim 1, wherein: the lifting guide elementwhich is acting in a wedge-like manner is arranged on the support part.3. The support device according to claim 1, wherein: the lifting guideelement is arranged in the area of the support part pivot axis on thesupport part.
 4. The support device according to claim 1, wherein: theadjusting element is arranged on the base part.
 5. The support deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: the adjusting element is designed like anose and projects beyond the base part and, in the starting position ofthe adjustment movement, is housed in a recess formed on the supportpart, the inner wall of which forming a resting surface for theadjusting element , the cross section of which tapers in the directionof the support part pivot axis in such a way that, in a translationalmovement of the adjusting element, the support part is pivotable orpivoted about the support part pivot axis in the direction of thesupport part pivot axis.
 6. The support device according to claim 5,wherein: the recess is formed in the support part or in a separatecomponent which is connected to the support part.
 7. The support deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein: the component is made of plastic,preferably designed as an injection molded part.
 8. The support deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: the electromotive drive device isdesigned in such a way and is operatively connected to the adjustingelement that, upon actuation of the drive device, the adjusting elementis moved translationally along its linear axis to adjust the supportpart with respect to the base part.
 9. The support device according toclaim 8, wherein: the drive device has at least one Bowden cable whichis operatively connected to an electric motor and has a casing and atraction cable housed in the casing, the movable part of which isoperatively connected to the adjusting element for translationalmovement thereof along the linear axis.
 10. The support device accordingto claim 1, wherein: for adjustment of the support part with respect tothe base part, the adjusting element resting on the lifting guideelement moves translationally with respect thereto, with the liftingguide element being designed or shaped in such a way and operativelyconnected to the adjusting element in such a way that, in atranslational relative movement between the adjusting element and thelifting guide element, the support part is pivoted about the supportpart pivot axis with respect to the base part.
 11. The support deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: at least one lifting guide element has across section which is expanding along the linear axis of the adjustingelement at least in sections.
 12. The support device according to claim11, wherein: the lifting guide element is shaped in such a way that itscross section expands along the linear axis in such a way that theadjusting element, in the region of the starting position of theadjustment movement, rests on a section of smaller or minimum crosssection of the lifting guide element, and in the area of the endposition of the adjustment movement, rests on a section of larger ormaximum cross section of the lifting guide element.
 13. The supportdevice according to claim 11, wherein: at least one lifting guideelement is shaped in such a way that its cross section expands in theform of an arc or a ramp at least in sections.
 14. The support deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: a lever arrangement with at least onelever is arranged in the drive train between the base part and thesupport part.
 15. The support device according to claim 14, wherein: thelever arrangement has a stand-up lever arrangement with at least onestand-up lever.
 16. The support device according to claim 15, wherein:the stand-up lever arrangement has a first stand-up lever, one end ofwhich is articulated and connected about a first articulation axis tothe drive element or a component connected thereto, and the other end ofwhich is articulated and connected about a second articulation axis to asecond stand-up lever, the free end of which being operatively connectedto the lifting guide element which is acting in a wedge-like manner, theoperative connection between the second open stand-up lever and thelifting guide element being configured in such a way that, starting fromthe starting position of the adjustment movement, in a first kinematicphase the stand-up levers execute a translational movement when notstanding up, the free end of the second stand-up lever interacting withthe lifting guide element for pivoting the support part with respect tothe base part, and that in a second the kinematic phase, the free end ofthe second stand-up lever runs against a stop, so that the stand-uplevers stand up with respect to one another in a pivoting manner aboutthe second articulation axis, whereby the support part with respect tothe base part further pivots about the support part pivot axis until theend position of the adjustment movement is reached.
 17. The supportdevice according to claim 1, wherein: the adjusting element is guidedalong the linear axis in a linear guide which is formed on the basepart.
 18. The support device according to claim 17, wherein: thestand-up lever arrangement is guided in the linear guide.
 19. Thesupport device according to claim 14, wherein: the lever arrangement hasa lever mechanism.
 20. The support device according to claim 19,wherein: the lever mechanism has a first lever which is pivotablymounted on the base part about a stationary lever pivot axis parallel tothe support part pivot axis, one end of a second lever being articulatedto the end facing away from the lever pivot axis and articulated about afirst articulation axis which is parallel to the lever pivot axis at afirst connection point, the other end of which being articulated andpivotably about a second articulation axis which is parallel to thefirst articulation axis connected to one end of a third lever at asecond connection point, the other end of which being pivotably andshiftably guided in a slot guide in the axial direction of the linearaxis, wherein the end of the third lever connected to the second leverat the second connection point is guided shiftably thereon in thelongitudinal direction of the support part and articulated thereto, thelevers being designed in such a way and connected to the base part orthe support part and the drive device and operatively connected suchthat in a first kinematic phase, starting from a starting position ofthe adjustment movement, the first lever is pivoted about the stationarylever pivot axis, the support part resting against the second leverbeing pivoted about the support part pivot axis, the second levershifting in the longitudinal direction of the support part away from thesupport part pivot axis, and the third lever shifting in the slot guidein the direction away from the support part pivot axis, until the thirdlever in the slot guide runs against a stop formed by the end of theslot guide facing away from the support part pivot axis; and in a secondkinematic phase, the first lever is pivoted further about the stationarylever pivot axis, the third lever being pivoted about the end of theslot guide facing away from the support part pivot axis, the supportpart lifting from the first connection point between the first lever andthe second lever, and the second connection point shifting between thesecond lever and the third lever in the direction of the end of thesupport part facing away from the first pivot axis until the endposition of the adjustment movement is reached.
 21. The support deviceaccording to claim 19, wherein: the lever mechanism has a one-armedfirst lever which is pivotably mounted on the base part about astationary lever pivot axis which is parallel to the support part pivotaxis, and has a two-armed second lever, wherein the free end of thefirst lever facing away from the lever pivot axis is articulated about afirst articulation axis to the second lever facing away from its ends,wherein one end of the second lever is guided in a linear guide in atranslationally movable manner with respect to the lever pivot axis, andthe other end of the second lever is articulated and connected to thesupport part shiftably thereto in the longitudinal direction, theoperative connection between the lever mechanism, the drive device andthe base part and the support part being configured in such a way thatin a first kinematic phase, starting from a starting position of theadjustment movement, the end of the second lever guided in the linearguide shifts in the direction of the lever pivot axis, with the otherend of the second lever being located in the area of the end of thesupport part facing away from the support part pivot axis, whereby thesupport part is pivoted about the support part pivot axis; and in asecond kinematic phase, the end of the second lever facing the leverpivot axis shifts further in the direction of the lever pivot axis,while the end of the second lever facing away from the lever pivot axisshifts with respect to the support part in the direction of the supportpart pivot axis, whereby the support part is pivoted further about thesupport part pivot axis with respect to the base part until the endposition of the adjustment movement is reached.